Goal weights :(

You should always set yourself reachable small goals that you know is easier to accomplish otherwise you will give up before you even start huni xxx

what has worked for me is small obtainable goals: 5% of my weight goal to be achieved is much more realistic than setting higher ones. creating small goals like (this week i'll work out X number of times, etc.).

Wishing you the best of luck.

You should always set yourself reachable small goals that you know is easier to accomplish otherwise you will give up before you even start huni xxx

This. Also, take measurements and think of other non-scale-related ways to measure your progress (maybe a certain number of jumping jacks within a minute or being able to walk--and then jog--a certain distance or even just tying your shoe or cutting toenails more comfortably!). It's nice to lose weight, but overall health is even better. Good luck and keep checking in here for support.
-LP

Well...I look at it differently. Easy targets always demotivate me. It has to be challenging enough to make me push myself harder. it motivates....

I had set myself target of 1lb loss per week. It has been 2-3 months since, but I haven't lost much (say 5lb compared to 12-13 I should have) as per my scale. But I know I feel better, other tell I look better, my cloths tell I have lost inches, and my wife is envious of me.

Still, I want teh numbers to tell me that, and "lack of progress" still makes me worry and make me work harder everyday...

I hope and I know I will reach my target one day. I WILL NOT GIVE UP..

Why don't you try what i've done very recently - I changed my ticker to '10lb to go' because it's less daunting seeing smaller numbers. Then you just move the goal weight down by another 10lb when you reach that first 10. I think I also found it overwhelming seeing '50lb to go'.

I did mine in 30lb incriments. Not too small, yet not SO overwhelming. I nailed the first 30 and now I'm on a sloooow start to my second. You go this!!!!

I thought like that too.

Last year I was all about this lose weight quick deal. I drooled over how much weight I was supposed to lose within a short time frame. When I failed I gave up.

Fast forward to the same month one year later (april 2011) and I weighed 10lbs MORE that I did this time last year. Now that is depressing!!!

I have finally figured out that slow and steady is better. I have set a goal for about 10lbs a month. Some might still say that is a lofty goal, but so far I have been achieving it.. As long as I am moving the scale down, I don't care about the pace, because at least this time next year I won't be even heavier. If I pick something reasonable food wise, then I will stay on it, and if I stay on it, I will be healthier in the long term.

Essentially, I would rather take my time losing the weight and keep it off for life, than to play the lose gain game for the rest of my life.

I just figured out a rough idea of all my goal weights and it seems impossible when I look at all the numbers.
I know it won't happen overnight but I feel deflated writing it all out

First off, the second you lose a pound, change your ticker to show what you've lost, not what you have to go. Psychologically, looking at how far you have to go is overwhelming. It's standing in a valley, looking up at a mountain you have to climb. But if you're looking at how far you've come, it's a victory.

Make some goals that have nothing to do with the scale, and make them easy to attain at first. "I will exercise for 30 minutes 4 times this week." Do that, and it's a victory! For me, I wanted to be able to run a 5k, so I started the Couch to 5k (c25k.com) plan, and each week I was able to run further or longer, was (you guessed it) a victory!

I think of it like dog training. Positive reinforcement works. You reward good behavior - like praising the heck out of the dog when he potties outside or sits on command - but ignore bad behavior - like piddling in the house. Rubbing his nose in it doesn't work, and punishing yourself for any slip-ups doesn't work either.